Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande pledged to keep Greece in the eurozone,
but offered Greece no immediate relief from its current regime of painful
austerity measures.

Francois Hollande, the French president, said that Greece must stay in the eurozone but must first prove it is determined to overhaul its economy so Europe can do its part and move on from the debt crisis.

Following talks with the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, on Saturday, Mr Hollande said that "Greece is in the eurozone and Greece must stay in the eurozone".

But, he cautioned: "It still has to demonstrate the credibility of its programme and the willingness of its leaders to go the whole way, while doing it in a way that is bearable for the population."

“Once these commitments, which are not only financial but about structural reforms that the Greeks want, have been ratified by parliament and confirmed, Europe must do its part,” the French president added.

However, Mr Hollande side-stepped Greece's request for more time to implement the harsh austerity measures its creditors insist upon.

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As part of a €130bn bailout package from the EU and IMF, Greece has committed to sweeping reforms and some €11.5bn of cuts in 2013 and 2014. But, it is thought that Mr Samaras wants two more years to make the cuts.

The Greek prime minister has used interviews with German and French newspapers over the last week to call for more time to meet the targets set out under the bailout agreement, saying Greece needs some "breathing space".

But neither Mr Hollande nor the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, have responded directly to that request.

Germany's finance minister on Satuday reaffirmed his opposition to giving Greece more time to carry out promised reforms. "More time generally means more money and that very soon means a new [bailout] programme," Wolfgang Schaeuble told the Tagesspiegel on Sunday newspaper.

Mr Hollande indicated that any decision on delays for Greece must wait for a report next month by the "troika" of Greece's debt inspectors

"We've been facing this question for two and a half years, there's no time to lose, there are commitments to reaffirm on both sides, decisions to take, and the sooner the better," he added.

Addressing Mr Hollande's concerns about Greece's commitment to reform, the Greek prime minister said his government will meet its obligations.

“Of course we need to make an effort,” said Mr Samaras. “We can keep our promises and goals, reduce our deficit and debt, accomplish structural reforms.”

The Greek leader also dampened talk of the nation potentially exiting the eurozone, saying: "Many say Greece won’t make it, that it can’t stay in the euro. I came here to say Greece will make it, it will stay in the eurozone."

Separately, Der Spiegel reported on Saturday that Mrs Merkel had called for a new European Union treaty to further integration, but was facing lukewarm interest from her European partners.